The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-04-13
PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH.
Honest as the Day is Long. but
Very ExaCting.

Very ExaCting.
There Is not more curious people an
jer the sun than these same PennsyIva-
MA Dutch farmers. Their ancestors were
the pioreer settlers in one Of the most
fertile sections Of Pennsylvania. and the
superstitious. customs and antipathies Of
the fathers are still held by the sons.
f The war of the rebellion did more % dis
I 5eI the traditions % the Pennsylvania
Dutch than anything in their history
aGt go among them in the back counties,
+ where their farms are Isolated from the
towns. and you VIII find them still firm
. believers in spooks, witches and charms.
and strong in their doubts OF the necessi-
~ Of common schools. They are a. hon
r-t a~ the dav i long, and the most close
listed ami axacting IN bargain Of any
ieople IN the world. Driving long di--
tauc-s 90 market, thew will haggle over a
j.me ia a bargain that involves probably
-Ie sale Of hundreds IF dollars worth "
produce, and If assured by going ten
miles further they viii be- able to sell
. their goods and make the extra ten cents
taey viii not hesitate a moment to take
the Journey The extra time and labor
tley DO not take into account.
From the earliest days Of the Pennsyi-
.anja Dutch farmers they have regarded
iieu:ll service IS the duty Of women It
( IS by Ho means au uncommon SIGHT to
see. ia passing these back farming re-
-ions. the women working in the fields
ass well aS the men, not only hoeiu. or
harvesting, but following the pIow Or
harrow The idea that women shall have
no mission beyond meniaI labor Is well
illustrated by the fact that many "A do
nestle drudge In he town clmilie- i. the
3au.hter of some farmer rich enough TO
. huy her employee over and over again.
+ 7 have servant in my house whose IA
. rher Is one Of the best known Dutch far
uer- in Lehigh county. ami worth at
least S58.01a.
Before the war the oh Dutch farm
ers held % the custom of their fathers.
which prompted them never 70 refuse to
extend financial all TO another. and that
Withou, eNaetiug written obligation or
interest If one farmer needed q few
hundred dollars Le went To any nei.hbor
whom he knew had the money. The loan
was at once forthcoming the borrower
naming certain day and hour ON which
the money would be repaid Ii he failed
60 keep lis w0r,i he was forever In dis
grace and no one was bound To respond
20 his request for aii tgain Defaults in
payment Of thcsc unsecured and uure-
munertiye loans were very rare, 80 sd
cred was the verbal contract held The
scarcity Of money that came with the
early years Of the war and the premium
hat gold commanded, sent spectators
through the Pennsylvania Dutch farm
ing regions. and the cupidity Of the far
lner- was soon awakened. and they for
the first time began 20 realize profit from
the Use Of their money Then the old
custom Of helping one another without
some return of the favor was gradually
abandoned. and the bond and mortgage
took IT, place. ~ the Dutch farmers, - q
class. are seldom in need Of borrowing.
and are suspicious Of outsiders IN making
loans. the existence Of fortunes in stock
iugs and coffee pots may be further eX-
planned
When the common school system was
first proposed. although it was the -cheme
Of Pennsylvania Dutch Legislators and
executives the farmers were unit in 0p-
F posing H. After it was authorized by law
It's machinery in many %, the districts Of
the Dutch couutie, necessarily passed into
the hands of it. opponents. Their policy
+ was tl establish as few schools - posi-
hle- keep them open only lev weeks in
the wear and employ only such teachers
as were willing % serve at the lowest
possible wages. Many old timers have
not modified their opposition to- the COM
mon school yet. and viii not acrept its
benefits The consequence Is that there
are whole communities where nothing
bu1 German il. read. written or spoken.
1t Is a characteristic OF Z he race 20 pre-
serve their language which Is a quaint
combination of English and German
The one great characteristic of the
Pennsylvania Dutch Is their regard for
and strict attendance at church. No mat
Ter how far the nearest church may be
away. the farmer and his family never
miss Sundav'9 service 4 man may Of
.end against Law in other WAYS and he
forgiven. but If be neglect~ his church he
i- at once placed under the bsn Of socie-
o.. The Pennsylvania Dutch are proud
of their party. and they adhere closely to
old forms. They are the severrSt OF Pro-
re-tants. Politicians understand and Use
hi. love Of church am0ngthe farmers and
q candidate going among them and max
ine oStentaticu~ show of his church con-
nections. and. being able 20 quote from
the Scriptures. captures the hearts and
votes of the Simpie-minded putch-
men
Probably nowhere els. in the country
are the social pastimee Of the farmers
preserved and induIeel in 10 such au ex-
tent as they are among the Pennsylvania
Dutch The apple cut, tine corn husking,
the quilting bee, the oIi-fishioned COIN
trv dance. furnish the amusement ami
recreation 20 the buxou Dutch maiden~
and iusty Swains to-day is they did 10
those Of hundreds Of years ago. The
dances are kept up from early evening
till daylight. There is No going 20 bed
after dance. The women g at once to
their household duties. and the men 70
their labor in the field the same as ifthey
had slept as usual, from candle light To
candle light, according 10 the old Dutch
custom. Work indoors and out begins AZ
soon a. there is light enough 10 see. and
I continues until 1t Is too dark to see. win
Z ter and summer
! The Dutch families discourage and
I disapprove Of all marriages that viii de-
,troy the purity Of their blood, and hence
the marriages with any other race are
very rare. This accounts for the remarEa-
I bic preservation Of the Language. the chs
{ toms and the traditions % their forefa-
thers among these people. surrounded Il